Business and Social Customs in Indonesia
...western businessmen should better prepare themselves before culturally before heading to Indonesia. 2.0 Key Findings and Analysis 2.1 Better Understanding Western and Indonesian Business Cultures To better understand Western and Indonesian business cultures, it is useful to compare the two cultures graphically. Anthropologists have for years used cultural models to help define cultures. A basic model plots a culture by asking several questions. These questions address issues like the culture's view of the relationship of man to nature, the concept of time, and the purpose of human activity. In some of these areas, Western and Indonesian cultures are quite far apart. For instance, many Indonesians believe that life is determined by external forces; a person can not surpass the conditions that life has set. Most Western cultures believe that man's challenge is to conquer and control nature. A Westerner may believe that a good grain harvest is the result of climatic conditions, fertilizer and pesticides. A Javanese farmer may just as surely believe that the harvest is a result of following the proper rites and ceremonies to maintain harmony with nature. It is the faulty preconception of how another person is looking at a given situation - where one projects one's own cultural interpretation onto another culture - that often causes conflicts in multi-cultural settings. This difference in opinion as to whether man is the master of nature or is subject to nature carries over into the workplace. In Asia there is a strong belief that Karma, fate, or the natural order of the universe is the reason behind particular business problems. For a Western executive trying to determine and understand the rational cause of a situation, this can be a frustrating attitude. 2.2 Indonesian Cultural Practices and Ceremonies A western business man who recently traveled to Indonesia for work was surprised to find that a modern office building in which his company was located had a water buffalo head buried in its foundation. When that building was dedicated, a ceremony was held to insure that events flow smoothly and nothing bad occurred to the tenants of the building. This kind of ceremony is called a Slametan. A Slametan is a ritual meal in which members of a group participate to sustain, maintain or instill order. There are many kinds of Slametan. One kind may be held during the building of a new home, after the recovery from a sickness, or to mark any important event in a person's life. At this level the meal usually consists of a Nasi Tumpeng, or rice cone. For larger endeavors, such as the dedication of the office block, a more elaborate ceremony involving the sacrifice of live animals may be required. Slametan are also performed whenever a need is felt by the members of a group. Should an office or company experience a string of bad luck, some members of the staff may suggest that a Slametan be held to reinstall the harmony of the office. This is an important request and one that a foreign manager should not treat lightly. If invited to a Slametan, the foreigner professional should show respect for the ceremony that it is. It is a recognition of the importance of the group and of the importance of respecting the balance of nature. The meal may be preceded by prayers and include some sort of speech or sermon. As a foreigner, one should participate so far as he or she feels comfortable. Although there has been a simplification of communal celebrations in the various cultures of Indonesia, the belief in and respect for the power of nature remains. However, as modern life pervades Indonesian society, you can also see the proud owner of a 2004 BMW request a Slametan to ritually purify the car before he drives it away. 2.3 Differences between Indonesian and western views A culture's sense of time is the importance given in that culture to the past, present or future. In a culture that is past-oriented, it is believed that man should look toward the glorious ages of the past as a model for today. A present-oriented culture believes that the present is everything and you should enjoy today with little concern for tomorrow. And finally, a culture that is future-oriented has a belief that planning and goal-setting make it possible for man to succeed. Most Western cultures are future-oriented with a very strong belief that organization, planning and goal achievement are the cornerstones of success. This is so important to some cultures that others perceive them as being obsessive. For example, Australians are often seen as workaholics, placing the importance of success and goal accomplishment over that of personal relationships. There is a wide gap between the way that Indonesian culture and Western cultures view the sense of time. While Western cultures look to the future, the Indonesian culture is generally past-oriented. For instance, while most Indonesians have a keen perception of time, it is focused on the past and includes an interest in heirlooms and a preoccupation with ceremonies, rituals, history, and pedigrees. 2.4 Indonesian religious and cultural influences Indonesia has a particularly colorful and often glorious past. Three of the major kingdoms in Southeast Asian history had their capitals in what is now Indonesia. Buddhist Sriwijaya, Hindu Majapahit and the great Muslim kingdom of Mataram still have a strong cultural influence on modern Indonesia. All three of these kingdoms held sway over most of what is now present-day Indonesia and some received tribute from as far away as present-day Thailand and Cambodia. When Indonesia gained independence after centuries of colonial domination, it was natural that its culture would look to the glories of the past as a guide for the future. 2.5 Problems that western businessmen might encounter while doing business in Indonesia For Western businessmen with a future-oriented viewpoint, the general past orientation of Indonesian culture presents many problems in the workplace. Project completion, production schedules, and deadlines are areas that often bring Western and Indonesian cultures into direct conflict. Indonesian culture demands that time be invested in building relationships, considering ideas, and preparing to act. The concept is that these and other important actions should not be rushed and that time is required to ensure that everything is done correctly. If that means that a deadline is missed or an order is late, everyone should understand that this was just the amount of time that it took. If a Western manager has a "time is money" mentality, or has the home office breathing down his neck, or has a line of work that requires precise deadlines and timing, this is extremely frustrating. Failing to meet deadlines is a cardinal sin in Western business culture. It implies incompetence and that alone is often sufficient reason to dismiss an employee. One of the reasons that this can become such...